Organ donation changes: what will it mean?

A new law in Wales which will be introduced on the 1st of December 2015 will see changes made to organ donation.

A recent survey shows 48% of the public are still unaware of the changes.

Here's a list of what the new laws will mean.

• From December 1, people aged 18 and over who have lived in Wales for more than 12 months and who die in Wales will be regarded as having consented to organ donation unless they have opted opt.
• The move is designed to increase the number of potential organ donors and will ultimately increase the number of organs available for transplant.
• Under the new system, a person will become a potential donor either by registering their decision to opt in - as they do currently - or by doing nothing at all, in which case their consent may be deemed
• By doing nothing it will be as if someone has no objection to becoming an organ donor and an individual will be treated in the same way as if they had chosen to be a donor. If an individual doesn't want to be a donor they can register their decision to opt out
• The Welsh system will be a soft opt-out system, meaning a person's family and friends will have a significant role to play in the ultimate decision to donate an organ. If they knew their loved one did not wish to be an organ donor, even if they had not opted out, they will be able to tell clinicians at the hospital and donation will not take place.